CALDWELL POTTER bounced right back to his best, with an impressive handicap chase success at the Cheltenham festival. The Paul Nicholls-trained grey certainly is a key player if able to replicate that performance, upped in class. The rise in distance is unknown, however, the flat track could play into his strengths, as a powerful front-runner.

DON’T RIGHTLY KNOW has been rather discarded, as the complete outsider in the field - possibly due to the fact she is trained by a less-fashionable yard. The mare has a handy 7lb sex allowance, is unbeaten over fences (3-3), and is lightly raced for her age. She could run far better than her odds suggest, in what appears to be a tricky puzzle for punters on Merseyside.

BE AWARE has developed into a thoroughly consistent handicap hurdler, who ran better than his eighth position suggests in the 2m5f Coral Cup at Cheltenham last month. Sent off a short-priced favourite that day, he travelled sweetly into contention, before just failing to stay the trip on a stiff course. The drop to 2m4f, on this sharper circuit is likely to see him go close.

WADE OUT is a fascinating contender, on handicap hurdle debut, with an official rating of 128. That could underestimate this progressive type, who is 3-5 over hurdles, including a facile 19-length success at Wetherby in February. He finished ahead of a now-rated 142 JP McManus-owned hurdler at Ascot in November, which reads exceptionally well.

ROMEO COOLIO looks to build on an excellent third-placed-finish in the G1 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival. The son of Kayf Tara finished over 10 lengths ahead of the reopossing Salvator Mundi. He scored on sole run going left-handed and has won on a quick surface. It would be a surprise if he were not to be involved at the business end, for a trainer who won this in 2019.

TRIPOLI FLYER arrives at the peak of his powers, having completed a hat-trick of hurdle wins, last time at Kempton. That success came in Grade Two company, powering clear of a useful field. He has course form - second in last year’s festival bumper - and has a tremendous engine. His jumping has been criticised but that may be negated by the long straight at the Liverpool venue.

JONBON is taken to firmly bounce back to his best, following a frustrating second in the G1 Champion Chase last month. A crucial blunder at the ninth fence put him on the backfoot thereafter and he did well to pick up the pieces for the runner-up spot. A previous dual Grade One winner this campaign, he will be hard to beat if reverting to that kind of form. He also bids to remain unbeaten at this track, having scored on each of his three visits, in Grade One company.

Three-time chase winner, MATATA, is an intriguing runner, in what could prove a tactical affair. The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained seven-year-old is a bold front-runner, who could prove hard to catch if allowed an easy lead. He is effective on all surfaces and isn’t too far behind these on official ratings, yet is a big outsider in the betting market.

AMIRITE has dropped to a tempting handicap chase mark of 142. He was a solid fifth in the G3 Gold Cup Handicap Chase at Sandown from the same mark last season. He clearly didn’t stay the extended 3m4f journey and will be happier back at this suitable trip. Henry De Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore, won won the Grand National with Minella Times, could have cause to celebrate over the unique fences again this week.

It has been a frustrating season for GINNY’S DESTINY, who has yet to place from four starts. It has meant, however, that he has dropped 7lb in the weights and has moved down to within a pound of his previous success. He has won over this distance over hurdles and the good ground ought to help him last home here. There could be a sudden improvement from two potential catalysts: a first-time tongue-tie and cheekpieces combination, coupled with the unique test of these fences.

MISTER MEGGIT is a fascinating runner, in what seems a poor renewal of the G1 Sefton Novices’ Hurdle, on paper at least. The dual bumper winner was an ultra-impressive hurdle debut scorer at this venue, over 2m4f, on good ground in November. He has been kept fresh for this and has been moved considerably up in distance. A first-time tongue tie has been fitted and it certainly appears this has been a huge target all season, for this hugely unexposed individual, sporting the famous Hemmings colours, synonymous with this iconic track.

Listed Hurdle-winning mare, FAMILIAR DREAMS, holds genuine each-way credentials in what promises to be a wide-open Grade One contest. She is 2-3 for Gordon Elliott over hurdles this term, culminating in a Grade Three prize at Limerick. This is a deeper event but in receipt of 7lb, with her sex allowance, she is right up there on official ratings, to put in a big performance.

AFADIL must have rock-solid claims, having finished third in this race last season, from a 6lb higher mark. His form deteriorated At the beginning of this campaign, before springing back with a fine second in a strong Musselburgh handicap hurdle in February. His best efforts have come in the spring, with quicker ground an asset.

The rapidly improving JACK HYDE is one of the interesting each-way angles in the concluding event. Raised 8lb for an easy Southwell handicap hurdle victory, he arrives here with scope for further improvement, despite this sharp rise in class. It would be folly to dismiss his claims lightly - especially for a trainer who knows how to win around here.